Unneeded materials from other depository libraries can now be transferred to the Internet Archive. Under 44 USC § 1912, depository libraries may dispose of outdated material, but must first offer to transfer to nearby depository institutions.

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dylan604 4 days ago | parent [-]

What is "outdated material" for a library? Isn't that precisely where you go to find "outdated material" is a library's archives?

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ocdtrekkie 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

Libraries have an entire concept of weeding, and numerous criteria for doing so: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weeding_(library)

Libraries are constantly bringing in new materials and very few are capable of constantly increasing in size to match. I believe national libraries like the Library of Congress tend not to weed, but they do have to offload material to satellite locations and storage facilities.

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chpatrick 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Stuff like the printed tax code of 1965 or Borland Pascal 1992 manual. Once you have it digitized it's a waste of space for libraries to have a physical copy because basically no one needs it.

	▲	Jarwain 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		In other words, a depository is cold storage